Discussion Divas

Polka dot optimism

(photo credit Andrew Noyes)

Thank goodness for the Fall polka dot trend to invoke a little whimsy in an otherwise serious state of affairs.

I’ve been wearing them all week. And it’s not just me. I’m seeing them everywhere--polka dots paired with polka dots. And why not? Who couldn’t use a little cheer sprinkled in with the news these days.

Reviewing the week...
It began Monday with Obama’s speech on how to fix the deficit--raise taxes on the wealthy, cut spending. More specifically, meet the proposed “Buffett Rule,” named for uber-billionaire Warren Buffett who keeps saying it’s crazy that he pays less in taxes than his secretary (17.4% rate vs an average of 36%).

Under the Obama administration’s proposal, taxes would rise (or come more in line with what middle income earners pay) for the top one percent--people who earn over $1 million a year. The New York Times looked at Treasury Department data and said 238,000 households filed taxes with over one million in income in 2009. About 60,000 of those households paid less than 15% in taxes on that income.

Cue the “class warfare” rhetoric: Republicans say the wealthy are job creators who already pay more than their fair share in taxes. Obama responds: “This isn’t class warfare. It’s math.” Rather than “gut” education and medical research spending, it’s time to prioritize, make tough choices and have those who can afford it pay more. And if we do nothing...

Moving on, a few more highlights from the week...

• U.S. hikers imprisoned in Iran for two years are freed. Maybe soon we’ll understand exactly why they felt the need to hike along the border of Iran and Iraq, but we’re glad they are free. WSJ commenters were tough on these two.
• The United Nations met in New York where Palestinian leader Abbas lobbied for a seat in the United Nations, asking to be recognized globally as an individual state.
• Hewlett-Packard named former eBay CEO and California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman as CEO. Her appointment brings the number of women running Fortune 500 companies back to 12, which had dropped when Yahoo fired Carol Bartz a few weeks ago.

And finally...
On Thursday, Facebook rolled out changes to its site, introducing Timeline, a feature that lets you enhance your personal profile--to tell the story of your life and connect the dots. I covered the event, dressed in my polka-dot shirt, happy to be working in the excited, super-charged atmosphere created by the developers there. Silicon Valley these days feels like it exists in a carefree bubble, but the Facebook event was a welcome distraction from troubles brewing elsewhere in the world. Even as people partied it up, the Dow dropped a terrifying 500 points on worries that Europe’s debt crisis threatens a global recession.

Here’s hoping the polka dot optimism will see us through to the holidays.

 

Awesome blog mention: Sites that make us smarter

Obviously we're thrilled to be included in this list of "Fab 5: Sites that make us smarter," along with some heavy hitters like the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian sites (love them too!). The CIA World Factbook is an amazing, amazing site and one we reference a lot. Check them out, and also check out www.dotcomsformoms.com, written by Rita Mauceri, who helps put information for moms at your fingertips quickly - something we like to do around here as well!

If you don't get the Diva yet, you should! Sign up - it's free and a quick read.

 

The Royal Wedding: Spotlight on the Monarchy - Costs & Future

Of course I’m writing this while wearing my fancy wedding hat, pondering if I’ll DVR the whole Royal Wedding or just watch endless news clips. It reminds me of the time an US Magazine subscription mysteriously appeared at our house and we (the newspaper household) did nothing to stop it--you know it’s a celebrity fest, but you just want to look! And who doesn’t love a wedding? 

But beyond the pomp and circumstance, some real issues and costs:

A day off in England costs the economy
Analysts say the national holiday for the big day could cost $10 billion in lost productivity. Souveneir sales and tourist spending aside, England’s economy is still recovering from a recession and unemployment hit a 17-year high recently with about 2.5 million people out of work (about 7.8%).

The monarchy in general costs the economy
While Will’s and Kate’s families are picking up the wedding tab, the royal family receives an annual allowance from the British government. Years ago the monarchy struck a deal to turn over revenues from royal properties (like Buckingham Palace) to the government in exchange for annual financial support. CNBC did a great break down of how this relationship works.

In 2009 the Queen received about $60 million (62 pence per taxpayer) from the government, which the monarchy highlights was lower than the year before thanks to cutbacks in chartered plane flights. The Queen’s official site says she pays taxes--voluntarily--and has since 1992. In terms of work, the Queen makes appearances as England’s Head of State and Prince William is a member of the military.

The government support is separate from the monarchy’s own personal wealth built on investments and properties. Forbes pegs the Queen’s net worth at $450 million.

The wedding also spotlights the monarchy amid questions about its role in a modern world
There are about 35 constitutional monarchies around the world. And while largely ceremonial in England, meaning the Queen has very few official duties, it’s controversial.

One pro-democracy, anti-monarchy group called The Republics is hosting a “not the Royal Wedding” street party on Friday in London. Per their Web site, they want three things: “a republican constitution, the right to a democratic head of state and an end to the monarchy.” Polls show a decreasing number of people believe the monarchy will exist in 100 years.

The face of the modern monarchy
If nothing else, the monarchy, which dates back to the 1600s, is trying to modernize itself. They have a host of informative Web sites, including one for Prince William and Prince Harry, an official wedding Web site, a YouTube channel, a Facebook events page, and of course, they’re Tweeting. Plenty of places to follow the pomp and circumstance.

 

Is the age of the Superwoman over? Let's discuss!

Up for discussion: Is the age of the Superwoman dead?

 

Samantha Parent Walravens presents the case in Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern a new book featuring 47 women searching for that career-life balance. Walravens finds that most discover it's not possible to "have it all," and says "the age of the Superwoman is dead." Do you agree?

 

  

PLUS: Calling all Mamas in the Bay Area! 

Join Samantha Parent Walravens, editor of the new anthology, TORN: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood, for a Moms' Night Out this Mother's Day week (why should it only last one day?).

Where? Books Inc. 2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco

When? Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m.

What? Samantha, along with Caroline Grant, editor of Literary Mama and Mama PhD, and Stacey Delo, founder and editor of Discussion Divas, will host a lively conversation about the struggle and juggle of motherhood today. Free and open to the public.

Purse Points: The Week of 3/28-4/1

(New!) PURSE POINTS

Headlines from the week that you may have missed, zipped up here to tuck in your purse ahead of the weekend...

• Economy adds jobs, but not all rosy
  No fooling, the March jobs report came in a bit better than expected, adding 216,000 jobs during the month and lowering the unemployment rate to 8.8 percent. Still, some 13.5 million people are still unemployed and close to half are considered "long-term unemployed" - without jobs for over six months. (Here's a good visual of the unemployment situation since 2007.)

• Home prices are back near recession lows
  Home prices fell for the sixth straight month, bringing the average home price to $156,000, down 5% from a year earlier and leading to plenty of bargain hunting. That said, a Russian investor plunked down $100 million for a house in Los Altos, Calif., about 30 minutes south of San Francisco.

• Sorry KC, MO: Kansas City, KANSAS wins super-duper fast Internet
  If you want to experience the fastest Internet in the country, you'll have to head to Kansas City -- Kansas City, Kansas, that is! Google chose KC after asking cities to pitch them on where they should build a super-duper fast experimental network. Looks like it will be up and running early next year.

• The Tweeting Cobra 
  After a cobra went missing from the Bronx Zoo, one enterprising Tweeter set up an account, tweeting on behalf of the cobra who toured New York and ammassed over 200,000 followers within the week. A really fun read if you need a laugh. Alas, when the cobra was found, the Tweeting cobra, who had a Facebook page launched to try to host Saturday Night Live, began Tweeting from inside. Stay tuned it seems!

• Opening Day!
  Baseball season began Thursday--an early start this year.

The Gipper's Near Miss

I was only 7 years old, but I can distinctly remember being glued to the television set at my grandmother’s after learning Ronald Reagan was shot, watching the scenes and realizing even at such a young age that I was witnessing something historic. It’s hard to believe that was 30 years ago, but indeed we’ll mark that anniversary on March 30. 

Of course in the end it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Reagan survived, served two terms as president, the free world was fine, and the Jodie Foster-obsessed shooter was locked up. 

What you may not know is just how close Reagan came to dying that day, and how the quick thinking of a secret service agent who threw the president into his limo ultimately saved his life. No one knew Reagan had been shot (seemingly not even he knew exactly) until once inside the car where he complained of trouble breathing and theagent saw blood on his lips.

Beers and Banter: Rawhide Down

WHEN: Thursday, April 7 6:30 to 8 p.m. WHERE: The Republic 3213 Scott Street San Francisco, CA http://www.republicsf.com/  WHAT:  It's been almost 30 years to the day since Ronald Reagan was shot outside the Hilton in Washington, D.C. And while if you are old enough to remember that day you likely can recall exactly what you were doing when you heard the news, you may not know how close Reagan came to dying. In fact the bullet lodged just an inch from his heart and though he was badly injured, Reagan kept his dignity and sense of humor thanks to some quick-thinking aides... and more. It's all part of a riveting chronicle of the day "Rawhide" -- Reagan's secret service code name -- was shot.   We're lucky to have Del Quentin Wilber, NU grad, Washington Post reporter and author of "Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan," a book that's getting plenty of buzz and was just featured in The Wall Street Journal and also reviewed favorably in The New York Times in town for a conversation with NU grad and Discussion Divas founder Stacey Delo.  We'll keep it snappy and informative, so bring your best Reagan questions for Del, and feel free to wear your cowboy hat.  THIS EVENT IS FREE!  But registration is required

Register: Sign up at http://alumni.northwestern.edu/events/5396  
Questions: Contact Name at sdelo@discussiondivas.com

 

CONNECTING WOMEN THROUGH SMART CONVERSATION

We’re a network of women who meet in small groups (yes, in person!) to discuss current events and other engaging, newsy topics of the day. Think book clubs without the books. 

HOW IT WORKS

• Groups meet monthly (up to 10 times per year) over dinner, brunch, wine—whatever suits your fancy—and discuss the same topic.
• We do the work: Discussion Divas provides the discussion topic for all the groups, making it easy if you want to start your own. Email Stacey if you are interested in joining or starting a group: sdelo@discussiondivas.com

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Here comes Rachel Alexandra

We’re taking a break from hard news this week to focus on what’s just simply a good story—one that pairs well with one of the best-read New York Times articles of the week, about women bullying women in the workplace. Except this story has a better outcome.

 

When the gates burst open at the Preakness Stakes this Saturday in Baltimore, Maryland, one of the 13 horses—actually the one on the outside who drew the 13^th spot from the rail, will look a lot like the rest of the horses: well trained, fast as lightning, a winning record under the saddle.

 

Except that she’s a girl.

 

Here comes Rachel Alexandra

If you haven’t yet heard the name Rachel Alexandra, a 3-year-old filly, you may not be able to forget it after Saturday’s 135^th run of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown. This “super filly,” as some have called her, now is the favored horse in the race, with 8-5 odds. Owners of other horses that have run against her talk of “chasing” her down the track. She’s good.

 

She didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby a couple weeks ago but she did run the night before in the traditional girl’s race, the Kentucky Oaks. She tore up the field and won by more than 20 lengths. Watch the race here.

 

The drama

Since she won the Oaks, she’s been the center of a lot of drama. Her new owner within the last two weeks, Jess Jackson of Kendall-Jackson wines, decided he wanted to run her in the Preakness. Horses who are nominated before the Triple Crown challenge begins are given favored status as entrants, so Jackson paid a $100,000 supplement to have her entered.

 

But she still almost didn’t make it in the race. For one, the jockey who rode her to victory in the Oaks on May 1 then went on to win the Kentucky Derby the next day on Mine that Bird, a horse that went from last to first to win the race and has been the focus of much attention since his incredible win.

 

That jockey—Calvin Borel—decided if Rachel Alexandra ran the Preakness, he’d ride her. Of course Mine that Bird’s owners want Borel on their horse. So they nominated another horse to the lineup, and so did another owner, hoping to keep her out.

 

But then enter the two-legged lady. Horse ownerMarylou Whitney, along with her husband, said, “ladies first,” saying they would pull their horse Luv Guv if it meant Rachel Alexandra wouldn’t run. The other owners backed down, making room for the girl.

 

The big picture

The last time a girl ran the Preakness was 10 years ago, and she didn’t finish. Filly Rags to Riches won the Belmont, the last of the Triple Crown races, two years ago. But when it comes to the Triple Crown, it’s truly a boy’s sport. Since 1867, only 10 fillies have ever won one of the races, and none have won all three. In the same week that all this drama unfolded, the New York Times had a top-read story called “Backlash: Women Bullying Women,” which discussed how women’s progress in the workplace is often, strangely enough, impeded by other women. We thought it only fitting this week to show an example of female chivalry, in the story of Marylou Whitney and Rachel Alexandra. In the end, it took a girl to let a girl in.